Burdened with the NFL’s most anemic pass rush, the Oakland Raiders have turned to a Richmonder for first aid.

The Raiders drafted former Benedictine College Preparatory school and Clemson University defensive end Clelin Ferrell in the first round as the fourth overall pick during the NFL draft last week in Nashville.

Ferrell celebrated his surprisingly high selection at home in Richmond surrounded by family, friends and an ESPN camera crew.

With little delay, he jetted to Oakland for his initial press conference. He said he’ll be proud to wear the Raiders’ famed silver and black.

“I think of toughness. I think of effort. I think of people who aren’t afraid of the work and will do whatever it takes to get the job done,” he told the media.

The 6-foot-4, 264-pound Ferrell becomes the highest drafted local player since Ken Willard of Varina High School and the University of North Carolina was plucked No. 2 overall in 1965 by the San Francisco 49ers.

Oakland is in dire need of help on the defensive front. The Raiders recorded just 13 sacks last year. That was 15 less than the next lowest figure.

That’s where Ferrell does his best work. During his Clemson career, he had 55 tackles for losses and 27 sacks, including 11.5 this past season while helping the Tigers to the National Championship.

Pass rushers are well compensated. Ferrell’s rookie annual salary figures to be $20.7 million.

It hasn’t always been an easy ride for Ferrell. His father, Cleavester, died when Ferrell was 13. He also missed his senior season at Benedictine with a torn ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament.

Before Benedictine, Ferrell played for the Hening Athletic Association of the Chesterfield Quarterback League in 2010 and was on the Senior All-Star Team.

Both of his parents were career military. His father served 24 years in the Army, achieving the rank of staff sergeant. His mother, Faye, served 22 years, becoming a first sergeant.

Clelin, however, was not a military brat. He lived his whole life in Richmond prior to heading off to Clemson.

His time in Oakland could be limited. The Raiders plan to move to Las Vegas for the 2020 season, pending completion of the team’s new stadium.

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While Ferrell was drafted several slots ahead of what prognosticators predicted, there was no surprise at the No. 1 overall pick.

As expected, the Arizona Cardinals picked University of Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, the Heisman Trophy winner.

Since then, Arizona has traded its 2018 top pick, quarterback Josh Rosen, to the Miami Dolphins for draft picks.

Murray becomes the first athlete in history to be picked in the first round of both the NFL and Major League Baseball drafts. He was the ninth overall pick by the Oakland Athletics in 2018.  

Murray, who accounted for 5,362 yards and 54 touchdowns this past season for the Oklahoma Sooners, becomes the fifth African-American quarterback drafted at No. 1. Others were Jameis Winston from Florida State by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015; Cam Newton from Auburn University by the Carolina Panthers in 2011; JaMarcus Russell from Louisiana State University by the Oakland Raiders in 2007; and Michael Vick from Virginia Tech by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001.

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The Washington NFL team’s first draft pick (15th overall), quarterback Dwayne Haskins out of Ohio State University, figures to have a strong cheering section at FedEx Field. 

Rarely is a player drafted by his hometown team, but that’s what happened in Haskins’ case.

The 6-foot-4, 218-pound Haskins was a high school All-American at the Bullis School in Potomac, Md., passing for 5,364 yards and 54 touchdowns.

Haskins waited his turn at OSU, then made the most of his one season as starter. After backing up J.T. Barrett in 2017, he emerged as an All Big 10 performer in 2018, setting numerous passing records and becoming a Heisman finalist.

In Washington, the rookie will compete with holdover Colt McCoy and Case Keenum (acquired in a trade) for a first string role.

The last quarterback Washington took with its first pick was Robert Griffin III out of Baylor University in 2012. Griffin was the No. 2 overall pick in 2012. Before that, Washington’s last No. 1 quarterback pick was Tulane University’s Patrick Ramsey in 2002.

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Most top picks nowadays come from the prominent Power Five conferences.

The Houston Texans dared to differ this year by selecting offensive tackle Titus Howard (23rd overall) from Alabama State University, a HBCU.

Howard, 6-foot-5 and 322 pounds, was a high school quarterback who has bulked up some 87 pounds in college. He credits his fiancée’s chicken spaghetti for his physical transformation.

Howard impressed NFL scouts in a regular season game against Auburn last season, and also in the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.

This was long overdue for HBCUs. The last first round picks from historically black colleges and universities were Jackson State University’s Sylvester Morris and Rashard Anderson in 2000. Morris was picked 21st by the Kansas City Chiefs and Anderson, 23rd, by the Carolina Panthers.

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News wasn’t as good around Bowie State University. Bulldogs quarterback Amir Hall was not drafted, but will attempt to sign as a free agent.

Hall, who broke most CIAA passing records, was named the Black Colleges Player of the Year for the past two consecutive seasons, as well as CIAA Offensive Player of the Year.